Grease 2 (Measure Of A Man)
by Charger69
Summary: Grease 2 One Shot. Who was Michael Carrington? What was his past before he came to live in America? There was more to him that met the eye. A boy no a man whom had lost both his parents. One to an incurable disease and the other that was a gutless bastard. A boy whom had to become a man at just fourteen and raise his two sisters.
1. Chapter 1

**_Author's Note: _**_ I don't own Grease nor Grease 2 or any of the characters. I only own the plot to the story and a few characters, which are my own. _

**_Summary: _**_Grease 2 One Shot. Who was Michael Carrington? What was his past before he came to live in America? There was more to him that met the eye. A boy no a man whom had lost both his parents. One to an incurable disease and the other that was a gutless bastard. A boy whom had to become a man at just fourteen and raise his two sisters._

I remember the day quite clearly when my mum had been become sick and later diagnosed with Advanced Stage of Leukaemia. It had only been a few weeks if not a month after my well or bastard of a father had walked out on us.

He ran off with a woman that was five or six years older than me. For the three years after she had been diagnosed with the most Advanced Stage of Leukaemia. We had struggled to put food on the table, pay the every day's bills plus the medical bills.

I had comprehended dropping out of school and getting a full time job to help pay the bills and look after my two younger siblings or rather sisters Jessica and Rebecca. My Aunt Edna and Uncle Jack had tried to help as well.

After my or rather our mum had died. I had a funeral to plan as well as managed the everyday stuff I had being doing before our mother had died. Our mum had died maybe six weeks before school started back for the year.

After dealing with the funeral, the reading of her will and selling and packing up the house in England. It had five weeks since she had died and a month since we had buried her when we arrived in America to live with my Aunt Edna and Uncle Jack.

They were the only family I had left or rather have left apart from my two cousins Sandy and her younger brother Will. Apart from my bastard of a fucking father. He more of a sperm donor then an actually father.

Even before he had left and mum dying. Things among the family had never been good. He was always growling at us about something. He was abusive towards our mother both physical and emotionally/verbally as well as being an alcoholic.

I had hit him a fair few times when he dared tried to raise a hand to Jessica and Rebecca. Our mum had tried to shield us from most of his anger and abuse when he tried to take out on my younger sisters.

It had not surprised me the slightest when he had walked out on us. It had seemed that the years of physical and emotionally/verbally abuse at the hands of our father had also killed our mother other than the Leukaemia.

Since coming to America or rather Rydell. My life had changed for the better. I was putting my past behind me. I know had the woman I loved. But there was so much about me or rather my past neither Stephanie nor any of my now friends knew about.

I knew it was late. The Lulu had ended maybe about an hour ago I had stuck around the help clean up before I was told go home maybe half an hour ago. I tiredly unlocked the door to the Fall Out Shelter that was my room. I dropped my keys, helmet, goggles and now T-Birds leather jacket on my desk. After I had changed for bed. I fell asleep as soon as my head had hit the pillow.

Edna Olsen glanced up when her two nieces entered the kitchen. Both of them had gone through a lot at such a young age. Dealing with an abusive and alcoholic father and losing their mother to incurable disease.

Jessica had been eleven and Rebecca was nine when their mother her sister Evelyn had died of incurable disease. Both of them where incredibly lucky to have such a loving and protective older brother as Michael.

He had taken on such a big responsibly on his shoulders when Evelyn had become sick. With looking after his sisters and sick mother he had not once complained.

Edna could not fathom how he had done it. He was nothing like his good for nothing father Sam. Sam had not been Evelyn's first choice of husband. Her first and only love Thomas 'Tommy' Royston Ryan had been her one and only.

Tommy had enlisted into the AIF (Australia Imperial Force) when war had declared on Germany in September of 1939. A few years later in January of 1943 during the Battle of Wau Tommy was reported MIA presumed KIA.

Evelyn was turning twenty one only a week later. She had been seventeen when Tommy had enlisted in September of 1939. Tommy was two years older than her. Evelyn had been in London visiting their Aunt Helena and Uncle Frederick when they had received the news about Tommy.

That had been where she had met the charming and handsome Samuel Michael Carrington. They had been married within in a month or two of meeting. The courtship had been short maybe two week and then the engagement was about the same amount of time.

Ten and half months later. Michael Thomas-Samuel Carrington had been born on January the 13th.

"Aunt Edna. Is Michael awake yet" Rebecca the youngest of her niece's asked. Edna turned to look at her youngest niece who was the spitting image of Evelyn when she had been Rebecca's age.

"No. I don't believe he is. Perhaps you and Jessie should go and wake him up "Edna suggested as she stirred the contents of the pot in front of her.

I heard the door to my room open and close. I knew it was my younger sisters. They were whispering in a hushed tone. I waited for them to pounce or rather for them to slip up.

They were just about jump on me. When I opened my eyes and sat up. I grab them both by the waist and started to tickle them relentlessly.

"Do you surrender" I asked as I continued to tickle my younger sisters.

"No" Jessie managed to croak out before I continued to tickle them both.

"No. Michael. Stop it. We Surrender" Rebecca managed to say between her giggling and Jessie's rage of laughter.

"Alright you two out. I've got to get dressed" I said shooing them both out of my room so I could get dressed. I walked into kitchen maybe ten minutes later.

"Morning Aunt Edna" I said kissing her on the cheek and went to sit down at the kitchen table.

"How was the senior year celebration's yesterday" Uncle Jack asked as he turned the page of his paper.

"It was good" I said as memories of last night came to my mind. One particular or several particular moments that came to mind.

"It most of been from the distance and loving expression look on your face. So who is this girl your love sick over" My Uncle asked as he looked up briefly from his paper.

"What make you think I love sick over someone" I said not quite ready to tell my Aunt and Uncle about Stephanie who was now my girlfriend as of last night.

"Your facial expression is more than enough to give you away "Aunt Edna said observantly.

"Ok. There is a girl. More like a girlfriend in fact." I said grabbing a piece or two of bacon and ham from the serving plate on the table.

_Three Hours Later. _

After being dragged around by my younger sisters doing various things. We ended up at the same dinner I had gone to with Stephanie just over a week and half ago. I took a sip of my own drink and glanced behind me out the window at the parking lot. Something caught my attention.

"You two buy something for your selves. I'm going outside for a little while" I said handing Jessie a five dollar bill from my wallet. I got off the stool and pulled on my T-Birds Jacket and walked towards the door.

Rebecca and Jessica or Jessie as she liked to be called they watched as their older brother walked outside of the dinner. They glanced through the window to the parking lot.

Jessie watched her older brother as he began to talk with a group of girls that where about his age. Neither Jessie nor Rebecca could hear what he was saying to the group of girls.

The two girls said nothing as their older brother walked back into the dinner with the group of girls he had been talking with in the parking lot.

"Come on you two. I'll see you guys tomorrow" Jessie heard her older brother say to the group of girls before they left the dinner.

We pilled into my truck I had bought off Danny yesterday. Though my Aunt Edna and Uncle Jack had told me that I didn't need to help pay the bills. Danny had gotten me a job working for his dad Joe.

We pulled up into the driveway at about eleven thirty. Jessie and Rebecca got out of the truck. I got out also and locked it up. Jessie and Rebecca walked off to the house while I walked off to my own room.

_Three Hours Later._

I started at the unopened letter that my Aunt Edna had given to me. It had been written by my mother before she had died almost a year ago. I opened the letter and began to read.

_Dear Michael._

_I know my time on this earth is coming to a close. I have lived a good life. I know your father may have done things to hurt us. But please find it in your heart to forgive him. Before the war. He was never like that towards me and us abusive or an alcoholic. But the war changed him._

_Your father was not the love of my life. The man whom was the love my life was taken from me. In my own way I did you love your father but not the way I loved Tommy. I know you will take good care of your two sisters._

_I could not be more proud as I am now my darling boy. Try to lead a good and humble life. And if you are lucky enough to find that one person for you. Please treat them with love and respect._

_Remember me for what I am and not what I was. Tell my future grandchildren that I will be with them always. Though I'm not going to be around to see you and your sisters get married and have children. But I will be forever witching over you from heaven. I may not be with in a physical sense but I will be with you in your heart._

_I did not just leave you this letter. But something else I hope you give to a woman whom you love with your whole heart and who feels the same way about you. I have left letters for Rebecca and Jessie to be given when they are older by your Aunt._

_Love your mother Evelyn Carrington. _

I closed the letter as tears started to fill my eyes. Greif and pain I had buried when my mother had died. Grief I had put aside to help my sisters while they grieved the death of our mother.

"Michael may I come in" I heard my Aunt say from the other side of the door.

"Yea" I said folding the letter back up. I wiped away the tears with the back of my shirt sleeve as my Aunt entered my room.

"Are you alright Michael" Aunt Edna asked as I placed the folded letter on my desk.

"Yea. It's just a lot of grief and pain I thought I put behind me has come back from reading that letter. Aunt Edna do you think she'd be proud of the man I've become or becoming" I asked.

"There's no doubt that she would be proud of you Michael "My Aunt said. I nodded and glanced once more at the folded letter.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Author's Note: _**_ I don't own Grease nor Grease 2 or any of the characters. I only own the plot to the story and a few characters, which are my own. _

**_Summary: _**_Grease 2 One Shot. Who was Michael Carrington? What was his past before he came to live in America? There was more to him that met the eye. A boy no a man whom had lost both his parents. One to an incurable disease and the other that was a gutless bastard. A boy whom had to become a man at just fourteen and raise his two sisters._

**_AN: _**_This is not going to be a multiple chapter story. There only going to be one more chapter plus maybe Epilogue possible. __ Chapter 35 of Cool Rider Revealed is still in the pipeline at the moment. _

Chapter 2

Monday morning rolled around. I knew that word and rumours were going to spread like wildfire when it became public knowledge that Steph and I where together as couple and I was now a member of T-Birds.

The rings my mother had left me with the letter. I had on a chain hung around my neck. Tomorrow was going to be the hardest day. It was our mother's birthday tomorrow. 29th May. She would have been forty this year.

I shoved my books and such into the saddlebags for my motorcycle. I shoved my hands in my T-Birds Leather Jacket. I walked up the back steps and into the kitchen. Rebecca and Jessie where sitting at the table having breakfast when I walked inside.

"Morning Aunt Edna." I said kissing her on the check as I walked past. I ruffled my younger sisters hair before I took a seat at the table

"Morning Michael, Rebecca, Jessie" Uncle Jack said as he walked into kitchen dressed to go to work soon.

"Morning Uncle Jack" I said as Aunt Edna set down three plates on the table. I glanced at my watch it was just after six in the morning as I finished up my breakfast.

I grabbed the dirty dishes and put them in the sink. I kissed Aunt Edna on the check and ruffled both the girl's hair before I headed outside to head off to school.

I strapped on my helmet and pulled on my goggles. I kicked my motorcycle into gear and headed in the direction of Rydell High. It was fifteen to seven when I pulled out the front of the school.

There was a far few people hanging around the front of the school. I glanced around looking for any sign of ever the Birds or the Pink Ladies. I pulled off my goggles and unstrapped my helmet. I set it on the handlebars of my motorcycle.

I heard a familiar roar of several motorcycle. I glanced behind me to see the boys coming down the street to the front of the school. I spotted the Pink Ladies distinctive pink car coming down the road also.

I leaned against the motorcycle when the boys pulled beside me. There more people walking around the front of the school now. The boys pulled up and pared their motorcycles next to mine.

"Shakespeare" Johnny said in greeting to me. I gave him a brief nod in reply. The other member of the Birds said something a little similar.

"Rhonda could stop trying to kill us please," Sharon complained after Rhonda had pulled the car up. They all piled out of the car.

I didn't move from where I was leaning against my motorcycle. It seemed that Johnny and Paulette had sorted out whatever little lover spat they had been having at the Talent Show on Friday night.

Stephanie looked at her now boyfriend. Her eyes came into contact with his. He gave her a half smile.

"If you two are quite finished being um. What's the word? Stargazing into one another eyes I'd like to get to class on time." Johnny said with smirk one his face.

"Since when where you so concerned about getting to class on time Johnny" I asked as we started towards front doors of the school. We parted ways to go to our lockers. I grabbed my books I needed for the first five periods of the day.

I could feel someone eyes burning into my back. I shut my locker and locked it. I glanced behind me as two freshmen's quickly turned their heads away. Probably fearing that the T-Birds would kick their asses.

I shrugged it off and walked over to where the Birds and Pink Ladies lockers where. Stephanie had her back to me when I walked over to where the others had been before I had walked off to my own locker. I glanced down the hall to see them walking to class.

I didn't say anything to Steph to announce my presence to her. I glanced at my watch. Homeroom didn't start for another ten or so minutes. Stephanie turned around after having locked her locker. She noticed her boyfriend standing in front of her.

He seemed to be lost in thought. She didn't fail to notice a brief look of sadness and maybe grief or was it pain of maybe his past that crossed his face for a few seconds.

"Babe you ok"

"Yea I'm fine," I said turning my attention to Stephanie who was standing in front of me.

Stephanie noticed the look in her boyfriend's eyes change to an unreadable look. Before she could say a word. I kissed her. She felt her back hit the lockers behind her. The kiss became heated. Those that had witnessed the kiss where shocked.

Since when was Michael Carrington dating Stephanie Zinone the leader of the Pink Ladies and become a member of T-birds

"Ahem. As much as I'd like not to break up this tender moment. Mr Carrington. Miss Zinone. I do believe you two have someplace to be" We both broke off the kiss reluctantly and turned to see Miss McGee standing not too far from us.

"We're just heading to Homeroom Miss McGee," I said. Miss McGee merely nodded and walked away.

"Come on. Let's get to homeroom before Mason blows a gasket" Steph said picking up her books that ended up on floor after I had kissed her.

It was halfway through fourth period. Fourth and Fifth periods where the only free periods I had today. The rumormill of Rydell High was working in overdrive today due to it becoming public knowledge that I was now a member of the T-Birds and was dating the leader of the Pink Ladies.

I was attempting to write the last paper we had to write for Mr Freeman's History Class on the Boston Tea Laws. The paper wasn't due Wednesday. I still had to write the boys papers for them.

"Johnny probably be saying something about how that would ruin the Birds reputation or something like that. " I looked up and noticed my girlfriend was standing not too far from where I was sitting under a tree.

"Probably. Aren't you supposed be in class," I asked not looking up at Steph while I wrote a few more lines.

"It's not the end of world ditching class." Stephanie said, she noticed a somewhat of fading scar of Michael's right arm.

I looked up from the History paper I was attempting to write and glanced at the scar that Steph was looking at.

"How did you get that scar?" She asked having sat down next to me. I closed my textbook and shoved the half written paper into my textbook.

"Do you really want to know?" I asked. Steph nodded. I hadn't told anybody about this beside my Aunt Edna and Uncle Jack.

"My father was an alcoholic abusive bastard. He would hit my sisters, me or our mother for any give bloody reason. Our mother had it worst of all. I got this scar when I was thirteen.

He was going to beat my sisters for some unknown reason to me. I had stopped him before he could. He had an empty bottle in his hand. He was to jacked on alcohol to care.

He broke the bottle over my right arm when I put my arm to protect myself when he was going glass me in the eye with the bottle. He tried to stab me with the broken bottle. He tripped and knocked himself out. He did stab me.

I guess he got sick of beating up on us. He walked out on us for a woman who was six years older than me at the time. Our mum got was diagnosed with the most Advanced Stage of Leukaemia about a month later.

She died about five weeks before we moved here to Rydell." I said finishing explaining how it was that I had gotten the scar on my right arm. And also about my past.

Stephanie didn't know what to say. Her boyfriend had just bared his heart and soul to her. She could not imagine going through what Michael had endured as a kid with an abusive and alcoholic father. Her own father had been nothing but loving to her and her siblings.

I felt like a bloody prate for saying anything in the first place. But Steph had asked about the scar and the story behind it. I leaned my head back the tree I was sitting under.

I closed my eyes and memories of my childhood flashed through my head. The happier moments or memories of my childhood. Then my mum becoming sick and everything after that had been blur.

During the time between her dying and being buried I had buried my grief to help my sisters grieve the death of our mother.

"Babe" I heard Steph said next to me. Her head rested against my shoulder. I most of have blanked out.

"Sorry. I was just reminiscing about the past," I said as moved back so that my back was leaning more against the tree we were sitting under. Steph moved so that she was sitting in-between my legs.

"He sounds like a sadistic bastard"

"He was. It wasn't just the glassing that left a scar." I said lifting up bottom of my shirt. The scars of when I had placed myself between him wielding a carving knife and my mother. That had only been a month before he had left for good.

"Jesus. What kind of man does this to his own son." Stephanie said looking at the scar from when he had ripped open my chest and stomach. The scar was faded but still very visible on my chest.

" I don't know. My mum always made excuses for him doing what he did to us. Said how it was war that fucked him up. I promised myself I was never going to turn out like him. And take my anger and problems out on my kids." I said pulled my shirt back down.

"You're nothing like that bastard Michael" Steph said. I glanced at my watch it was nearly the end of fourth period.

"And do you figure that Babe" I asked.

"If you were anything like that bastard. You wouldn't have put yourself in danger time and time again to protect your mom and sisters from him"

I was interrupted before I could say anything in reply the bell ringing for fifth period. The rest of the day passed by. The bell rang signalling the end of the day. I had to head straight from to school.

Danny's dad ran the local lumberyard. It was only a twenty – twenty five minute ride from school to the lumberyard.

I pulled my motorcycle up near the office of the Zuko Lumberyard. I pulled off my goggles and unstrapped my helmet. I set them both on the handlebars before heading towards the office.

"Can I help you?" The woman sitting at the front desk asked when I walked inside.

"Michael. Danny said you were starting today" Joe interrupted me before I could reply to the woman's question.

"That's right Mr Zuko," I said extending my hand to his.

"Call me Joe Michael. They only one who calls me Mr Zuko is the bank manger," Joe said shacking my hand.

"You'll be working with Allan and Eddie cutting the timber into planks." Joe explained as we walked out of the office and over to where I was going be working.

"Allan Eddie." Joe said to the two guys I was going to be working with. Allan looked to be in his mid-twenties while Eddie looked to be ten years older than Allan.

"Hey boss" Allan said greeting Joe. Eddie gave a brief nod as he picked three full lengths of planks.

"This is Michael he's going to be working with you cutting the lumber into planks. So play nice boys." Joe said before he walked off. Probably to go back to the office.

"I'm Allan Matthews. That's Eddie Kennedy" Allan said extending his hand to me.

"Michael Carrington" I said shacking Allan's hand then Eddies.

"Grab a pair of gloves Carrington and help me stack this wood "Eddie said not bullshiting around. I merely nodded and pulled off my T-Birds leather jacket and shirt.

By the time it was time for knock off came around at around six a clock I had gotten to know Eddie and Allan a little more. Allan was joker of the two. He was always cracking jokes or stories while we worked. Eddie was a bit more serious and quieter of the two.

Cutting and stacking planks of wood was hard work. But hard work never killed anybody. I pulled on my T-Birds leather jacket ready to head home for a shower and have a feed.

It was only a half an hour ride from the lumberyard to my Aunt and Uncle's house. Something wasn't right when I pulled into the driveway. It was just a gut feeling I had.

"Sam I think it's time that you left. The girls don't won't to see you" I heard my Aunt say to someone. I turned to walk around the side of the house.

"There my bloody kids Edna. That bitch Evelyn not going to take them from me" I heard my bastard of a father's voice for the first time in nearly four years.

"Sam. I do believe Edna asked you to leave. Evelyn died nearly a year ago. Both us and Michael the girls legal guardians till they turn 18." My Uncle Jack said calmly.

"What that snotty nosed bastard of kid. He wasn't my kid. He was Evelyn fuck up when she spread her legs like a whore for some bastard." My father sneered. My fists clinched.

"My mother was no whore," I said or rather snarled at him as I walked towards them.

"Well. Well. If isn't boy wonder. Your just like your bitch or rather whore of a mother" He sneered at me. My jaw was set hard as anger boiled in my veins.

"Says the man who too much a fucking cowards not to take his issue and anger on his wife and three kids. And to drown your fucking sorrows in a bottle of what Dutch courage.

To beat your own wife senseless and try the same thing on your kids." I snarled at him.

"She asked for it. Useless whore was always spreading her legs for some fucking tosser. You lot only have my name. Your someone else's mistake she tried to palm off as mine.

I bet she was spreading her legs like nobody's business when I was gone fighting the fucking Germanys." I lost it right then and there. I slammed my fist into his face.

He stumbled back from the blow to the jaw I had given me. He threw a wild uppercut. I grabbed his fist and twisted his arm around and shoved him. He lost his footing and went face first into the dirt.

I didn't give him time to recover. I hit him again this time braking his nose in the process. He backwards from a harsh upper cut to the jaw. It seemed all the pain and anger he had caused me, our mother and my sisters seemed to flow out of me.

My Uncle Jack tried to pull me off of him. But I shrugged him off. I could hear my Aunt Edna trying to get me to stop hitting him. He was hitting me back just as much as I was hitting him.

I felt two people pull me off of my 'father'. I glanced to see it was Danny and Will. Where had they come from?

" Sam I'm only going to tell you this once. You come near my wife or those girls again. I'll let Michael finish what he started. I don't want to see you again you worthless piece of shit." Uncle Jack said. I glanced behind me. My sisters Jessie and Rebecca where hiding behind Aunt Edna and Sandy.

"Michael" My Aunt tried to talk to me. I walked over to my motorcycle. I pulled on my helmet and goggles and kicked my motorcycle into gear.

"Let him go Edna"

I didn't know where I was going. I was riding around Rydell trying to calm down after I had nearly or rather almost killed my bastard of a father. Somehow I ended up at the Old Lookout that over looked Rydell. I got off my motorcycle and went to sit under the old oak tree and leaned back against the base of the oak tree.

I closed my eyes briefly. When I opened them again it was early dawn. The sun was starting to rise from behind the horizon. I must've fallen asleep last night. I stood up and stretched.

I glanced at my watch it was just after four. I had a couple of hours to go home and get ready for school. It was just on 4:35 in the morning when I pulled into the driveway.

Edna Olsen looked over at her husband Jack. Neither of them had slept a wink last night. Their nephew hadn't come home last night after the fight with his father.

They both looked up when the back door and screen door to the house banged shut. It was just after five in the morning. Jack stood up and left the living room to go into the kitchen to speak with Michael.

"Where were you last night" I heard My Uncle ask. I looked over the fridge door at him.

"I just rode around Rydell for a while. I ended up at the Old Lookout. " I explained closing the fridge door.

Jack had a closer look at his nephew. He had three cuts on his face which where stitched, various bruises and such. His left hand was bandaged and looked to be swollen also.


End file.
